Run Away Before I Know

The Cosmos:
{Eden reaches for the window and jumps down off the sill as she pulls it down and latches it}The Universe:
{Ethan places his hands on his hips and watches her}The Cosmos:
{Eden moves to the next window climbs up on the sill and catches Ethan’s reflection in the glass, looks over her shoulder at him, smiles} You didn’t have to wait.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} I know. But no one actually believes you’re coming.The Cosmos:
{Eden looks at him} They they’ll be surprised.The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her} Because they’ve got your violin?The Cosmos:
{Eden shakes her head} No… I’d go even if they didn’t.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} Then I don’t need to be here ready to carry you back.The Cosmos:
{Eden looks at him} I said I was coming down.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} I know.The Cosmos:
{Eden frowns} I’m not a liar or a coward.The Universe:
{Ethan nods again} I know that, too.The Cosmos:
{Eden quietly} Yet here you are.The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her} Yeah. I guess I just figured if we still had stuff to talk about, we should do that.The Cosmos:
{Eden looks at him} Is there something you want to talk about?The Universe:
{Ethan takes a breath, nods} Yeah. I think there is. {looks at her} Specifically.. everything. You told David I put you in that sister position, but.. you know you put *me* in the incestuous older brother position at the same time. Especially with the part about him being the same exact age I am.The Cosmos:
{Eden takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly} Ethan.. I..{shakes her head} when you said that I just kind of snapped. My relationship with my brother has never been.. like everyone else’s. I don’t see you like I see him. I *like* you.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} I like you, too.The Cosmos:
{Eden quietly} And if I didn’t have a king and you didn’t have Izzy.. and our situations were different, I’d be chasing you all over the castle.The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her, takes a breath, quietly} You wouldn’t have to chase me very far.The Cosmos:
(Eden smiles, quietly} Which is why we’re dangerous. I *know* that. And the last thing I want is you to get into trouble with Genja or Izzy.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} And the last thing I want is to get *you* into trouble. Which is *why* I said what I said. Because we *really* need to be in each other’s friend zones.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods quietly} I know. I don’t want to do anything to hurt us.The Universe:
{Ethan shakes his head} And we probably shouldn’t even be having this conversation, but… I couldn’t see you as a sister if I wanted to. And I know I’m a shitty liar but that shit totally should’ve worked.The Cosmos:
{Eden smiles} Being in my brother zone is not a safe place.The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her} I didn’t really want to be there anyway. It just seemed like a good idea at the time.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} So what do we do…stick each other in our friend zones.The Universe:
{Ethan pushes his hands into his pockets, shrugs} It’s probably the safest thing we can do.The Cosmos:
{Eden looks at him} But you aren’t okay with that?The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her, smiles} Well, you know… I’ve gotta friend zone one of the hottest girls in the castle. Yeah, it kinda sucks.The Universe:
{Ethan smiles again} It’s also very typical of my life.The Cosmos:
{Eden smiles} Yeah.. well how do you think *I* feel? The hottest non-bloodsucker and he’s friend zoned. {shakes her head} Doesn’t mean I’m gonna stop flirting with you though.The Universe:
{Ethan nods, still smiling} That’ll at least make it somewhat bearable, anyway.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} Yes it will.. {grins} As long as Izzy doesn’t freak about it.The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her} So.. you’re not pissed off about that?The Cosmos:
{Eden shakes her head} No.. I don’t have any right to be.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} Yeah, so.. every one of the guys, by the way, totally knows and has all along about this whole.. thing we’ve got going on. Just so you know.The Cosmos:
{Eden blinks} Seriously? Shit.The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her, smiles} Why do you think they’ve been doing the weird shit they’ve been doing like, I don’t know, not allowing me to speak?The Cosmos:
{Eden shakes her head} I thought they just got tired of hearing it.The Universe:
{Ethan laughs, shakes his head} If only.The Cosmos:
{Eden looks at him} Which means *Bree* knows.The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her} Yeah.The Cosmos:
{Eden quietly} Which means Seth might. {looks at him} You do realize that the more people that know.. {Smiles suddenly}The Universe:
{Ethan arches a brow} Bree didn’t know til after she moved in with Loch and why are you smiling like that?The Cosmos:
{Eden keeps smiling} Because if it’s out there in the open and *not* a dirty secret it’s safe. Think about it. If Izzy’s openly flirting with Tristan where do you go?The Universe:
{Ethan shrugs} If they’re not relentless about it? Nowhere.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} Why?The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her} Because if they’re doing it openly, they’re not taking it seriously.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} Exactly. I knew a girl who was openly flirting with her best friend .. who was a guy. And one day they just stopped all together. Both of them had S.O.s. I found out a few days later they’d taken flirting to a completely different level.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} Right. {looks at her} So.. open flirting is on, I guess.The Universe:
{Ethan smiles} But can you handle it? I mean, you *did* kinda tweak when I said that about the ring gag.The Cosmos:
{Eden smiles} Babe.. I didn’t want you giving Genja any ideas.The Cosmos:
{Eden blinks} Though I suspect I’ll find out sooner rather than later after what I did in court.The Universe:
{Ethan laughs} I don’t think *anything* me or Loch could come up with would give *Genja* ideas. {looks at her} What’d you do?The Universe:
{Ethan laughs} I don’t think *anything* me or Loch could come up with would give *Genja* ideas. {looks at her} What’d you do?The Cosmos:
{Eden shakes her head} I pissed him off.The Universe:
{Ethan arches a brow} How?The Cosmos:
{Eden shakes her head} I said something to him about something that he was getting to, basically jumping the gun.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} Well.. it doesn’t *sound* like something that should be life altering. {shrugs} Just apologize.The Cosmos:
{Eden softly} I will… but I should have known better. I know there’ll be some kind of punishment. And possibly even for speaking to Lucien the way I did.The Universe:
{Ethan smiles} You think you’re going to get in trouble for telling reminding Lucien you’re the king’s? Doubt it.The Cosmos:
{Eden shakes her head} No.. for reminding him he had a herd.The Universe:
{Ethan laughs} It seems to me like Lucien’s the one that should be in trouble for that one.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} It wasn’t my place.The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her} You need to stop hiding and just go face it, Eden. You’re wasting so much time worrying about shit and it’s not good because it makes you all somber and moody and you don’t smile.The Universe:
{Ethan shakes his head} And the longer you put it off, the worse you make it in your head.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} You’re right. I do. I am. Will you tell them I’ll be there after I talk to Genja please?The Universe:
{Ethan nods} Totally. And text me if that changes, so, you know.. Loch doesn’t go banging down Genja’s door or something.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} I will. I promise. {walks over to him and hugs him fiercely, whispers} Thank you. I don’t know what I was thinking.The Universe:
{Ethan hugs her back just as tightly} It’s all right.The Cosmos:
{Eden softly} I thought you didn’t want to be friends anymore. I thought you’d hate me after… what I said.The Universe:
{Ethan shakes his head, quietly} You can’t get rid of me that easy. I wasn’t mad at you and I didn’t hate you. I couldn’t if I wanted to. *I* wasn’t my own favorite person for a while there, though.The Cosmos:
{Eden shakes her head} Ethan.. you didn’t do anything wrong. {pulls back and looks at him}The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her, quietly} I just don’t want to be the reason something happened to you. I couldn’t deal with that.The Cosmos:
{Eden looks at him, smiles} You won’t be. *I* might but you won’t be. I won’t let that happen.The Universe:
{Ethan smiles} Go deal with Genja so we can move on and breathe again.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} Walk down with me.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} I’ll walk right up to his door with you if you want me to.The Cosmos:
{Eden smiles} Oh I’d love you too..but Alien thing is there and I’m not sure how that’s going to go over.The Universe:
{Ethan blinks} Ohmygod, I can’t believe I forgot about that. What *is* that, anyway?The Universe:
{as they head toward the door}The Cosmos:
{Eden shrugs} I have no clue. He showed up and has been dropping stinky slime puddles everywhere.The Universe:
{Ethan scrunches up his face} Ew. And Genja *touched* it.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} Repeatedly. And suddenly that discussion we were having that started all this mess doesn’t seem so bad.The Universe:
{Ethan smiles} Oh, no shit. {looks at her} *My* question is… are there *more* of them lurking around somewhere? Like.. does Alien thing have a mate and a litter of baby alien things hiding in the air ducts or something?The Cosmos:
{Eden laughs} Tribbles! only uglier.The Universe:
{Ethan smiles again} And… scalier.The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her, still smiling} What about Ryan, though?The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} Oh my god that was great. When Glen wasn’t doing it and then Sorrow wasn’t I thought it was Kendra and *he* didn’t even cross my mind.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} Seriously. And he scared a *vampire*. I bet he freaked himself out. He’s not the most… aggressive… of guys, yanno?The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} He seems pretty docile.. but she freaked him out and he was probably protecting Devon and Ren as much as Sorrow.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} I wouldn’t doubt it for a second. You never see them apart.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} They’re very close it seems.The Cosmos:
{Eden looks over at Ethan} They look really good together.The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her} They also look like they’re always on their way out or in from clubbing.The Universe:
{Ethan smiles} I think it’s cool how Ren kind of stands out, too.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} Yeah they do. Sorrow took them shopping I heard, like the night after they were chosen. {smiles} She really does.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} It’s kind of like she’s a diamond in the middle of semi-precious stones and please don’t tell the men-folk I said that.The Cosmos:
{Eden smiles} She really is. And I’d never tell them that. She’s what I picture Akhiro’s fiancée looking like. You know. Oh my god What’s with Nikki?The Universe:
{Ethan nods} Totally. {looks at her} Well.. according to Izzy, she’s dogging Akhiro.The Cosmos:
{Eden smiles} And how does *he* feel about that?The Universe:
{Ethan smiles} He likes her. But he also likes *most* women. And then there’s that whole fiancée who thinks he’s dead thing.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} Well yeah.. that has to suck. I mean.. seriously…suck.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} Totally. Though.. Nay walked by us in the hall and completely ignored everyone but him.The Cosmos:
{Eden laughs} Seriously? She’s really pretty and from what I hear unattached to a vampire and she’s blond.The Universe:
{Ethan smiles} I know, I know and I know.The Cosmos:
{Eden laughs again}The Universe:
{Ethan smiles when she laughs} Anyway.. she smiled at him when she walked by and he checked out her ass. I don’t think there’s a girl around here that wouldn’t get with him. He’s just *so* picky.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} Probably not.. I’ve heard whisperings about him. {shrugs} Well all of you. {smiles}The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her, arches a brow} Oh, yeah? Like…?The Cosmos:
{Eden smiles} Just how incredibly fucking *hot* you guys are and oh my god he’s gorgeous. I’d do him standing up. Wouldn’t even have to know that one’s name.The Universe:
{Ethan laughs} Wow. Where were they all when I was on my ten second serial one nighter rampage?The Cosmos:
{Eden looks at him when he laughs, smiles brilliantly} They were around.The Universe:
{Ethan smiles} Guess I should’ve tried harder.The Universe:
{Ethan shakes his head} But hell, Bree got a hold of Loch and it’s like they’re all but married.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} Oh I know. {smiles} But god.. what they dealt with to get there.The Universe:
{Ethan nods} Seriously. They’re really good together though. I can seem them lasting a long time.The Universe:
{Ethan laughs} But what the *fuck* is going on with David and *Camille*?The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} Me too. {shakes her head} No clue. At. All.The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her, smiles} She just seems so *nice*.The Cosmos:
{Eden smiles} Maybe she’s a bad girl at heart?The Universe:
{Ethan nods} Or maybe she’s one of those girls that thinks she can fix bad boys and make *them* nice. She’s all about helping him right now, but what’s going to happen when he doesn’t need it anymore?The Cosmos:
{Eden shakes her head} I don’t know. I think that depends on what happens with *them* in the process.The Universe:
{Ethan nods, stops on the fourth floor, looks at her} I’m just glad *we’re* okay again.The Cosmos:
{Eden stops, turns and looks at him} I am too. Very glad. {takes a deep breath} All right. I’ll go talk to Genja. {lets it out slowly} You let them know what’s going on, and I’ll see you all as soon as I can. {smiles} Promise.The Universe:
{Ethan smiles} All right. Good luck.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods, still smiling} Worst case I’ll wow him with my feminine charms?The Universe:
{Ethan looks at her, very seriously} You do that and we won’t see you til morning.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods} True, though maybe in the interest of time and his wanting to see Ava I’ll be spared?The Universe:
{Ethan smiles} Maybe.The Cosmos:
{Eden smiles back at him} All right no time like the present. You know while my resolve is up.The Universe:
{Ethan smiles again} So, go already. The sooner you do the sooner you get back.The Cosmos:
{Eden nods and heads off toward Genja and the alien}The Universe:
{Ethan smiles watching her go, heads to the music room}